News briefs

Administration at Memorial University of Newfoundland is getting ready to tighten the smoker’s leash even more. Recently, the university released a draft version of its revised smoking policy which, once implemented, will ban smoking from all door and entranceways on MUN campuses, including smoking bans near windows, ventilation systems, and pedways. The university has held townhall-type meetings at both its St. John’s and Corner Brook campuses, where they heard mixed reactions from students, faculty, and staff. Perhaps a puff of relief, the university has maintained that a full campus smoking ban is impractical. There has been no word on any new designated smoking areas that may be created as a result of the revision.

Stabbing at Spencer Hall

Qiang Tong, 22, has been charged in the stabbing incident of a 20-year-old at Memorial University. The event echoed through the normally quiet and safe St. John’s campus. On Wednesday, March 9, Tong stabbed a classmate in the chest at Spencer Hall. The victim’s name has not been released. Police had to call in Mandarin translators to assist them with their investigation. Both students were part of the English as a Second Language program at the university. Tong has appeared in provincial court several times since the stabbing last week.

Aftershocks

There are a handful of Japanese students who attend Memorial University. There has been no word whether any of those students have lost family or friends in the March 11, 8.9 magnitude earthquake and tsunami that struck the South Pacific last week. The Memorial International Student Centre was in contact with those students and, as always, they were there to assist Japanese students with whatever arrangements in their capacity to do.